Banff, Alberta
| Banff | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Town | |||
| Town of Banff | |||
 | |||
| |||
  Banff | |||
| Coordinates: 51°10′41″N 115°34′19″W / 51.17806°N 115.57194°WCoordinates: 51°10′41″N 115°34′19″W / 51.17806°N 115.57194°W | |||
| Country |
 Canada | ||
| Province | Alberta | ||
| Region | Alberta's Rockies | ||
| Census division | 15 | ||
| Founded | 1885 | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Mayor | Karen Sorensen | ||
| • Governing body |
Banff Town Council
| ||
| • Manager | Robert Earl | ||
| • MP | Blake Richards | ||
| • MLA | Ron Casey | ||
| Area (2011)[2] | |||
| • Total | 4.88 km2 (1.88 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation[3] | 1,400 m (4,600 ft) | ||
| Population (2011)[2] | |||
| • Total | 7,584 | ||
| • Density | 1,555.0/km2 (4,027/sq mi) | ||
| • Demonym | Banffite | ||
| Time zone | MST (UTC−7) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC−6) | ||
| Postal code span | T1L | ||
| Area code(s) | +1-403 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Banff /ˈbæmf/ is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise. At an elevation of 1,400 m (4,600 ft) to 1,630 m (5,350 ft),[3] Banff is the community with the second highest elevation in Alberta after Lake Louise.
The Town of Banff was the first municipality to incorporate within a Canadian national park. The town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership.
Banff is a resort town and one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations, known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. It is a destination for outdoor sports and features extensive hiking, biking, scrambling and skiing areas within the area. Sunshine Village, Ski Norquay and Lake Louise Mountain Resort are the three nearby ski resorts located within the national park.
History
Banff was first settled in the 1880s, after the transcontinental railway was built through the Bow Valley. In 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers stumbled upon a series of natural hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain. In 1885, Canada established a federal reserve of 26 km2 (10 sq mi) around the Cave and Basin hot springs, and began promoting the area as an international resort and spa as a way to support the new railway.[4] In 1887, the reserve area was increased to 673 km2 (260 sq mi) and named "Rocky Mountain Park." This was the beginning of Canada's National Park system.
The area was named Banff in 1884 by George Stephen, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, recalling his birthplace in Banffshire, Scotland, now simply Banff. The Canadian Pacific built a series of grand hotels along the rail line and advertised the Banff Springs Hotel as an international tourist resort.
The Banff townsite was developed near the railway station as a service centre for tourists visiting the park. It was administered by the Government of Canada's national parks system until 1990 when the Town of Banff became the only incorporated municipality within a Canadian national park.
In 1985, the United Nations declared Banff National Park, as one of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a World Heritage Site. Banff remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Canada.
One of the most notable figures of Banff was Norman Luxton, who was known as "Mr. Banff". He published the Crag and Canyon newspaper, built the King Edward Hotel and the Lux Theatre, and founded the Sign of the Goat Curio Shop, which led to the development of the Luxton Museum of Plains Indians, now the Buffalo Nations Museum.[5] He and his family helped organize the Banff Indian Days and the Banff Winter Carnival.
In 1976, the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) officially adopted the name Banff for a crater on Mars, after the town in Alberta. The crater is at latitude 17.7° north and longitude 30.8° west. Its diameter is 5 km (3.1 mi).[6]
Geography
It is surrounded by mountains, notably Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain. The town is situated above Bow Falls near the confluence of the Bow River and Spray River.
Climate
Banff experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that borders on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Winter temperatures range from a low of −13.3 °C (8.1 °F) to a high of −0.2 °C (31.6 °F). Summer temperatures in the warmest month are pleasant with an average high of 21.6 °C (70.9 °F) and an average low of 7.3 °C (45.1 °F). Snow has been recorded in all months of the year. The annual snowfall averages 191.0 cm (75.2 in).[7]
| Climate data for Banff (1981−2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high Humidex | 12.2 | 14.3 | 16.1 | 24.4 | 29.0 | 30.0 | 33.0 | 32.8 | 30.4 | 24.9 | 15.0 | 12.2 | 33.0 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54) |
14.7 (58.5) |
17.2 (63) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.9 (93) |
31.0 (87.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
16.5 (61.7) |
12.5 (54.5) |
34.4 (93.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −3.1 (26.4) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
5.2 (41.4) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.6 (65.5) |
21.6 (70.9) |
21.6 (70.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
10.0 (50) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −7.7 (18.1) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.8 (38.8) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.1 (53.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
14.3 (57.7) |
9.5 (49.1) |
4.3 (39.7) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−9.3 (15.3) |
3.3 (37.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −12.2 (10) |
−11.1 (12) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
1.9 (35.4) |
5.5 (41.9) |
7.3 (45.1) |
6.9 (44.4) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −51.2 (−60.2) |
−45.0 (−49) |
−40.6 (−41.1) |
−27.2 (−17) |
−17.8 (0) |
−3.9 (25) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−27.0 (−16.6) |
−40.6 (−41.1) |
−48.3 (−54.9) |
−51.2 (−60.2) |
| Wind chill | −52.1 | −49.1 | −41.8 | −37.0 | −21.2 | −5.3 | 0.0 | −4.7 | −14.4 | −30.5 | −43.1 | −50.6 | −52.1 |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 20.4 (0.803) |
17.0 (0.669) |
20.8 (0.819) |
33.6 (1.323) |
62.4 (2.457) |
68.3 (2.689) |
68.0 (2.677) |
61.7 (2.429) |
38.6 (1.52) |
31.9 (1.256) |
25.9 (1.02) |
21.4 (0.843) |
469.9 (18.5) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 2.7 (0.106) |
2.5 (0.098) |
3.1 (0.122) |
14.4 (0.567) |
48.3 (1.902) |
67.3 (2.65) |
67.8 (2.669) |
61.5 (2.421) |
32.9 (1.295) |
15.7 (0.618) |
4.5 (0.177) |
1.7 (0.067) |
322.5 (12.697) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 24.2 (9.53) |
20.5 (8.07) |
23.6 (9.29) |
21.6 (8.5) |
15.0 (5.91) |
1.0 (0.39) |
0.1 (0.04) |
0.3 (0.12) |
6.5 (2.56) |
20.2 (7.95) |
30.8 (12.13) |
27.4 (10.79) |
191.0 (75.2) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 9.9 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 11.2 | 14.2 | 15.9 | 16.0 | 14.9 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 140.6 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.87 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 5.4 | 12.9 | 15.9 | 16.0 | 14.8 | 9.2 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 0.86 | 86.8 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 9.4 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 | 3.5 | 0.29 | 0.07 | 0.21 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 64.0 |
| % humidity | 62.5 | 51.4 | 43.8 | 41.0 | 40.5 | 39.6 | 39.7 | 40.4 | 43.3 | 44.5 | 61.7 | 66.0 | 47.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada[7] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Banff (1971-2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high Humidex | 12.2 | 14.3 | 16.1 | 24.4 | 29.0 | 30.0 | 33.0 | 32.8 | 30.4 | 24.9 | 15.0 | 12.2 | 33.0 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54) |
14.7 (58.5) |
17.2 (63) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.9 (93) |
31.0 (87.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
16.5 (61.7) |
12.5 (54.5) |
34.4 (93.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −4.6 (23.7) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
4.5 (40.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.5 (65.3) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.3 (70.3) |
16.3 (61.3) |
10.1 (50.2) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
8.9 (48) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.3 (15.3) |
−6 (21) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
3.5 (38.3) |
8.1 (46.6) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.6 (58.3) |
14.1 (57.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
3.0 (37.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −14.1 (6.6) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
−7.3 (18.9) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
5.4 (41.7) |
7.4 (45.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
2.7 (36.9) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −51.2 (−60.2) |
−45 (−49) |
−40.6 (−41.1) |
−27.2 (−17) |
−17.8 (0) |
−3.9 (25) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−27 (−17) |
−40.6 (−41.1) |
−48.3 (−54.9) |
−51.2 (−60.2) |
| Wind chill | −52.1 | −49.1 | −41.8 | −37 | −21.1 | −5.3 | −3.2 | −4.7 | −14.4 | −28.7 | −43.1 | −50.6 | −52.1 |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 27.5 (1.083) |
21.9 (0.862) |
23.4 (0.921) |
32.4 (1.276) |
59.6 (2.346) |
61.7 (2.429) |
54.2 (2.134) |
60.1 (2.366) |
42.1 (1.657) |
29.4 (1.157) |
26.8 (1.055) |
33.2 (1.307) |
472.3 (18.594) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 2.9 (0.114) |
1.7 (0.067) |
2.7 (0.106) |
12.6 (0.496) |
44.3 (1.744) |
59.8 (2.354) |
54.1 (2.13) |
60.0 (2.362) |
37.0 (1.457) |
13.8 (0.543) |
4.4 (0.173) |
3.1 (0.122) |
296.2 (11.661) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 34.1 (13.43) |
29.3 (11.54) |
28.1 (11.06) |
22.5 (8.86) |
17.0 (6.69) |
1.8 (0.71) |
0.0 (0) |
0.2 (0.08) |
5.7 (2.24) |
19.8 (7.8) |
32.3 (12.72) |
43.2 (17.01) |
234.1 (92.17) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 10.7 | 9.9 | 10.2 | 10.9 | 13.4 | 15.0 | 14.5 | 15.0 | 11.0 | 9.3 | 10.0 | 11.1 | 141.0 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 11.7 | 14.9 | 14.5 | 14.9 | 10.0 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 82.9 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 11.1 | 9.8 | 10.0 | 7.9 | 4.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 4.9 | 9.2 | 11.2 | 71.0 |
| Source: Environment Canada[7] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Banff had a population of 7,584 living in 2,565 of its 2,850 total dwellings, a 13.2% change from its 2006 population of 6,700. With a land area of 4.88 km2 (1.88 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,554.1/km2 (4,025.1/sq mi) in 2011.[2]
The population of the Town of Banff according to its 2011 municipal census is 8,244,[8][9] a 5.5% decrease from its 2007 municipal census population of 8,721.[10] Banff's 2011 municipal census population of 8,244 comprised 7,251 permanent and 993 non-permanent residents,[8][9] while its 2007 census population comprised 7,437 permanent and 1,284 non-permanent residents.[10]
According to the Canada 2006 Census:[11]
| * Population: | 6,700 (−6.1% from 2001) |
| * Land area: | 4.85 km2 (1.87 sq mi) |
| * Population density: | 1,381.7 /km2 (3,579 /sq mi) 1,381.7 people/km² (3,578.6/sq mi) |
| * National population rank (Out of 5,008): | Ranked 544th |
| * Median age: | 32.1 (males: 32.5, females: 31.6) |
| * Total private dwellings: | 2,844 |
| * Dwellings occupied by usual residents: | 2,568 |
| * Median household income: | $55,017 |
Some environmentalists have feared that growth in the town will harm the wilderness within the national park.[citation needed] The federal government has attempted to address these concerns by restricting development in the town, and mandating that only people who can demonstrate a "need to reside"[12] may take up permanent residence in the community.
Attractions
There are a number of popular mountains located immediately adjacent to the townsite which include Mount Rundle (2,949 m or 9,675 ft); Cascade Mountain (2,998 m or 9,836 ft); and Mount Norquay (2,134 m or 7,001 ft). Mount Norquay has a ski slope as well as mountain biking trails on the Stoney Squaw portion. A popular tourist attraction, the Banff Gondola, is available to ascend Sulphur Mountain (2,281 m or 7,484 ft) where a boardwalk (Banff Skywalk) beginning from the upper terminal takes visitors to Sanson Peak. Sulphur Mountain is also the location of one of Banff's most popular attractions, the Banff Upper Hot Springs.
Lake Minnewanka located 6 minutes north of the townsite is a very popular day use area with a variety of activities. Mountain biking, hiking and fishing are all activities allowed in this part of the park. There is a very popular Lake Cruise and motor boat rentals and a small food concession available at the marina.
Tunnel Mountain (formerly known as Sleeping Buffalo Mountain) (1,690 m or 5,545 ft) is situated within the townsite and is very popular for quick hikes; one can reach the summit in less than half an hour. It was named Tunnel Mountain because surveyors initially wanted to make a tunnel for the Canadian Pacific Railway right through the mountain, instead of following the Bow River Valley.
Banff is home to the well-known Banff World Television Festival, Banff Mountain Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Music Festival and Bike Fest. The city is also the starting point of the 4,417 km (2,745 mi) Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which terminates at Antelope Wells, New Mexico in the United States.
Sports
Banff and nearby Canmore is playing host to the 2014 Alberta Winter Games.
Infrastructure
Transportation
In June 2008, the Banff council launched a local bus system called Roam, with three routes connecting the town, Tunnel Mountain, the Banff Springs Hotel, and the Banff Gondola.[13] The service is operated using four hybrid Nova buses, each decorated with scenes from the National Park.[14] There are three separate routes, Route 1 which goes to Sulphur Mountain and Route 2 which goes to Tunnel Mountain, and Route 3 which goes from Banff, to nearby Canmore. Many bus stops along the routes have screens which tell exactly how many minutes before the next two buses arrive. In December 2012, the bus system was expanded to include the Route 3 hourly service between Banff and Canmore.[15]
Via Rail's long-distance trains no longer serve Banff, but the Banff railway station remains in use by the Rocky Mountaineer and Royal Canadian Pacific tour trains.
The nearest airport to Banff with major service is the Calgary International Airport in Calgary.
Health care
Acute health care is provided at the Banff – Mineral Springs Hospital.
Media
Notable residents
- Karen Percy, who won 2 bronze medals in skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
- J. Jill Robinson, award-winning author of fiction and creative nonfiction.
- Kevin Smyth, former NHL player
- Ryan Smyth, NHL player
See also
- Banff Centre
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of towns in Alberta
- Banff International Research Station (BIRS)
References
- ↑ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 24, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- ↑ History of the Town of Banff
- ↑ "The History of Norman Luxton – Founder of the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum". Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum. Archived from the original on 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
- ↑ "USGS Astro: Planetary Nomenclature: Feature Data Search Results:". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010". Environment Canada. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "2011 Municipal Affairs Population List". Alberta Municipal Affairs. 2010-10-05. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Banff Municipal Census 2011". Town of Banff. 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Alberta 2010 Official Population List". Alberta Municipal Affairs. 2010-09-15. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ↑ Statistics Canada (Census 2006). "Banff – Community Profile". Retrieved 2007-06-12.
- ↑ Need to Reside Requirement
- ↑ "Roam". Town of Banff. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
- ↑ "Roam in Banff,". Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission.
- ↑ "Roam". Town of Banff. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Banff. |
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Lake Louise | Mount Norquay ski resort Cascade Mountain |
Lake Minnewanka | |
| Sawback |  |
Anthracite | ||
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| Radium Hot Springs | Sulphur Mountain | Canmore |
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